A Town like Alice

me."
    "Shall I tell you?" She took one of his wounded hands in hers and fondled the great scars. "I think you're the man I want to marry and have children by." It did not seem to matter now that the sarong had fallen to her waist. "I'd rather wait a few months and get our lives arranged a little first, Joe, Marriage is a big thing, and there are things that ought to be done, first, before we marry. But if you say we can't wait, then I'll marry you tomorrow, or tonight."
    He drew her to him gently, and kissed her fingertips. "I can wait. I've waited six years for this, and I can wait a bit longer."
    She said softly, "Poor Joe. I'll try and make it easy, and not tantalize you. I oughtn't to have done this." She freed herself from his arms and pulled up the sarong and rolled it round. "Just get outside a minute, and I'll put on some more clothes."
    He said, "You don't need to do that. I won't do anything, except kiss you now and then. Stay that way for tonight, as if it was Malaya."
    "Just for tonight," she said. They went out presently and stood upon the beach in the bright moonlight, holding each other close. "I never knew a man could be so happy," he said once.
    Half an hour later she said, "Joe, we're both tired now, and it's time for bed. We've got an awful lot to talk about, but we'll talk better in the morning. There's just one thing I want to say tonight. If you ever feel you can't bear waiting any longer, you'll tell me, won't you? If you come to me like that, I promise we'll get married right away, or sooner than that."
    He said gently, "I can wait a long time for you, after this."
    "Dear Joe. I won't keep you waiting any more than I can help."
    She was so tired that when she got into her hut she did not light the candle, but fell upon her bed and loosened her sarong, Malay fashion, and slept almost at once. She woke with the first light of dawn and lay reflecting upon what had happened, absurdly happy; at last, she felt, things were going to go right between them. She got up as the sun rose and peered cautiously over to Joe's hut and the restaurant building. There was no sign of any movement anywhere, so she put on her bathing dress and went down to the sea and had a bathe. Lying in the shallow water as the sun rose she discovered a number of bruises on her person, and reflected on the narrowness of her escape from a fate worse than death.
    She went back very quietly to her hut and put on a frock. Then she went over to the restaurant. It stood open but there was nobody about; she put the kettle on the oil stove and made a pot of tea. Carrying a cup she went to Joe's hut and peered in cautiously.
    He was lying on the bed asleep in a pair of shorts; she stood there for some minutes, watching him as he slept. The troubled lines had vanished from his face and he was sleeping easily and quietly, like a little boy; the scars upon his back stood out with an appalling and contrasting ferocity. She stood watching him for a time with fondness in her eyes, knowing that she would see him so most of the mornings of her life to come, and the thought pleased her.
    She moved a little and put down the cup, and when she looked at him again he had opened his eyes, and he was looking at her. "Morning, Joe," she said, wondering if she ought to be running like a rabbit. "I've made you a cup of tea."
    He leaned up on one arm. "Tell me," he said. "Did what I think happened last night really happen?"
    "I think so, Joe," she said. "I think it must have done. I've got bruises all over me."
    He stretched out one hand. "Come here, and let me give you a kiss."
    She retreated. "Not on your life. I'll give you a kiss when you've got up and had a bathe and got some clothes on."
    He laughed. "Aren't you going to bathe?"
    "I've bathed," she said. "I've been up and pottering about for an hour, while you've been sleeping. I'll come down and watch you."
    He asked, "Did you sleep all right?"
    She nodded. "Like a log."
    "So did I." They smiled with mutual understanding. "Give me a minute, and I'll come down to the beach."
    She sat on the sand and chatted to him while he bathed. Then he came out and went to shave, and presently appeared in a clean shirt and a clean pair of khaki drill slacks, and she came into his arms and gave him his kiss. Then, as there was no sign yet of breakfast, they sat very close together on the beach in the cool morning breeze, talking and talking and talking. They had no difficulty in finding things to talk of now, and